Best Buy gears up for DTV by eliminating analog televisions

As of the beginning of this month Best Buy, the largest electronics retailer in the United States no longer sells analog televisions. The move comes as retailers, and hopefully consumers, prepare for the end to analog broadcasts in February of 2009. The chain does plan to carry DTV converter boxes that some consumers will be receiving government vouchers for.

“We are committed to helping people understand the digital television transition, and exiting the analog video business is one way we can help avoid confusion,” said Mike Vitelli, Best Buy’s electronics senior VP. “Customers can now be sure that any television they purchase at Best Buy will be fully compliant with the digital television transition. And for customers who aren’t in the market for a new television, we can help you find the best solution to meet your needs.”

This may be the smoothest part of the U.S. analog to digital cutover. Over the last few months there have been Congressional hearings and General Accounting Office reports criticizing the FCC's inaction in educating consumers regarding the upcoming switch. There's even been a mandate from the FCC requiring cable television providers to continue providing analog signals until 2012.

In fact, just about the only thing that hasn't happened already is the FCC doing their job and taking care of the public. Fortunately, if consumers ever find out about the upcoming DTV transition, they can be assured that retailers like Best Buy will be ready to sell them a solution.

7 user comments

This is what all stores that sell new tv's should be doing. Those consumers who still wish to purchase an analog type tv can still get them in a variety of conditions at a variety of prices from individuals selling in the paper, used/ second hand stores, and pawn shops.

The number of sets that will be purchased from now until the time in 2009 when the switch is 'suppose' to happen will greatly ease the transition to DTV as well as bringing more percentage of sets into a HDTV realm as well.

Lastly this move will reduce the amount of tax dollars that must be spent on providing vouchers to people who still own, or have recently, bought an analog set by the time of the change over.

It really makes perfect sense and it shoudl have been something mandated at the federal level for all retailers. For instance give a 5 year window from the time the last new analog set is sold to when the switch is due to happen. The problem of many consumers not being up to specs will greatlt be reduced.

About a month ago, someone I know was recently on the outside of a conversation between a couple of Best Buy employees at a party who were discussing a memo. It had some details about this actually, so I guess second hand news isn't always sketchy. It also mentioned huge reductions in prices for HDTV's early next year. So if you were in the market for one, may want to wait a few months ;-P

emugamer: as a former Best Buy employee, I can tell you that there are NEVER memos that discuss any price drops or adjustments, unless they are part of an ad (and in this case, the advance of such a notice would only be a week, possibly two.) Unless they plan on advertising the price, Best Buy never puts this information in print.

I can also tell you that in the US, as of early this year (March?) any retailer selling a TV without a digital tuner had to specifically make customers aware of it. How they do that I think is up to the specific chain, but as far as I'm aware, Best Buy had pretty much done away with TV's that had analog tuners around this time last year, and maybe the only had a few budget SKU's left, such as the smaller tube TV's that had them.

Not to be different, but we will continue on with our Sony KV36HS500 analog TV, because the picture quality of every flat-panel set I have yet seen appears substantially inferior to it. And in a number of ways;
Am I wrong,or is our black level not even approachable?
Our colors are truer, and in this I am including sets properly displayed in darkened environments where the settings are not a full blast.
In fast sports action, flat-panels just seem a blur.
Well, I could go on, but you get the point.
Of course, we do use a HD-OTA set-top box.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 18 Oct 2007 @ 18:02

Take computers , and cell phones for example. In the early 90’s not everybody could afford them at first, now everybody owns one. I hope the tv sets are sold at reason able price. I remember when analog widescreen tube cone sets were being sold, flat LCD plasma screens were introduced and all the others were then dust. Now these sets are relatively new to the public and when something is first generation of its kind, tends to be real expensive. Forget the converter boxes, its best to do things right the first time. I guess I got to put up a yard sale because I’m not going to watch a watered down image.

Quote:SProdigy (Junior Member) 18 October 2007 11:48 _
emugamer: as a former Best Buy employee, I can tell you that there are NEVER memos that discuss any price drops or adjustments, unless they are part of an ad (and in this case, the advance of such a notice would only be a week, possibly two.) Unless they plan on advertising the price, Best Buy never puts this information in print.

I can also tell you that in the US, as of early this year (March?) any retailer selling a TV without a digital tuner had to specifically make customers aware of it. How they do that I think is up to the specific chain, but as far as I'm aware, Best Buy had pretty much done away with TV's that had analog tuners around this time last year, and maybe the only had a few budget SKU's left, such as the smaller tube TV's that had them.

Hate to tell you but yes they do. I've worked there and my wife still works there.
That being said, ALL Best Buy employees know that 3rd or 4th week in January is when allot of the new models are released into the stores, digital cameras,computers, stereos, tv's and such. That's when you can get your best deals on the previous years models.
Say for instance big screens, you can get them for $100-$300 off come the end of january.